Five teams of games developers to reap rewards of Games Lift 2023

Gamecity Hamburg is gearing up to launch its Games Lift Incubator and to back five teams of games developers and their projects, a press release said Monday (July 17, 2023).  A total of 24 teams and solo developers based in Hamburg had applied for the incubator. The funding scheme consists of a one-year workshop and mentoring as well as EUR 15,000. More than 30 experts in game design, product development, pitching, business development, press relations and marketing from the Games Lift Network will give the teams professional start-up support from September 11.

Universities and indie scene come up with lively games

"Even more talented teams with exciting projects apply for each Games Lift incubator. The passion and commitment of the developers impresses me time and again. Universities across Hamburg and the extremely vibrant indie scene ensure a steady, never-ending flow of creativity," said Ole Schaper, CEO of Sviper and member of the jury. Among the selected projects is "Chaos Royale" which was developed by Monodot in Belgium. This fast-paced game is ultimately a free-to-play combat game with shooting mechanics and fantastic characters. "Dottobeau," which came about through the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW), also won over the jury. The team has come up with a classic point-and-click adventure in which tricky puzzles are solved by changing the mood.

"Journey Beyond the Edge of the World" by Markus Koepke, on the other hand, is an adventure told in five atmospheric musical pieces, which the player can experience from the first-person perspective of the main character. Meanwhile, Kopfkino Games has designed "Map Map - A Game about Maps", which is essentially an exploratory puzzle akin to a relaxed hike. Players of "We the Valarii" by Bagpack Games in Bavaria, delve into an entertaining couch co-op racer with a literal spin, as the unique motion physics are created by rotating a mouse or stick. The focus is on surmounting obstacles and completing boss battles together rather than on competing.

EUR 400,000 in annual funds 

The five teams can expect workshops, mentoring and coaching on project management, marketing and business start-up. The results will be presented in a closing public pitch in December. Mentors will then work with the teams until September 2024. Gamecity Hamburg also assists games developers based in Hamburg with prototype funding. Around EUR 400,000 went to local games projects this year. Successful applicants can avail of up to EUR 120,000 per game. The next round of applications starts in spring 2024.

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